The Ledge (mp3)

Earlier this week when the hysteria over the current world health situation was starting to gain some steam I was listening to my vinyl copy of Paul Westerberg’s Mono/Stereo. As “Let The Bad Times Roll” was playing a little light bulb went off in my head. What better way to help us get through these turbulent times than an entire episode loosely devoted to this crisis?

Most songs were pretty obvious, especially once the public (or at least the smart ones) decided that not leaving the house was a pretty wise move. Songs about boredom. Songs about “staying in”. Other tracks about various medical ills and medication. Maybe a few songs aren’t quite so clear to those who don’t have my weird mindset but they still work as great songs. I hope that no matter what happens in the near future this little rock and roll radio show gives you some joy.

After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy!

Part one of The Ledge Live Albums series featured my picks (with a little agreement from my friends). Tonight’s belongs to those who responded to a Facebook post from last month (plus a couple of emails and tweets). It’s quite a bit fun, starting with a lengthy set of Americana acts before weaving through some indie rock before culminating with some heavier rock and legendary punk.

I hope everybody enjoys the show as much as I did. It really was a perfect respite from the hysteria of these troubled times. And I do have to give a special thanks to each and every person who suggested a record or song. I’m only sorry that I couldn’t play everything suggested.

After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy! Touring artists are having an especially tough time these days with the cancellation of SXSW and the closings of most venues.

The monthly new release shows are easily my favorite episodes, and this month’s is no exception. As always, it’s a great mix of brand new bands, returning veterans, and some great recent discoveries. There’s so much great new music that this month’s episode even goes into overtime!

After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy!

A few days ago I started a thread on my Facebook page asking for favorite live albums. The response I received was amazing, as close to 150 people responded with a wide range of suggestions.

Obviously the question was raised in order to put together a Ledge episode, and the response was so overwhelming that tonight’s show is the first of two dedicated to the topic. This week’s broadcast consists of the choices I would have picked anyway but I still give credit to those who are so likeminded. It’s a collection of legendary classic recordings (Jerry Lee Lewis, Rolling Stones, Sam Cooke, etc.), recordings that were initially bootlegged before getting an official release (Iggy & The Stooges, Elvis Costello, The Beatles, The Replacements), and quite a few others that have had a place in my collection for decades.

Part two, which will be broadcast in two weeks, will focus more on material that others have picked. Some of them are records I’ve forgotten about, others come from my youth, but quite a few are releases you probably would never expect to hear on The Ledge.

And, of course, I have to thank everybody for their picks. It’s been a fun two hours! After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy!

A few weeks ago I debuted a new series documenting my favorite songs of all time. What began as a quest for one tight 30-song set turned into a folder filled with close to 200 songs. The first show primarily featured aggressive tracks from the 60’s and 70’s, with a touch of the 80’s thrown in. Tonight’s followup is similar in sound but the 80’s and 90’s are the main decades represented. Future shows will document my love of 80’s indie rock and the legendary tunes produced in Minneapolis (with a Sioux Falls segment or two added in).

After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy!

You really didn’t expect a “real” Valentine’s Day special tonight, right? I mean, come on, a Ledge episode filled with corny love songs? Of course not.

No no no. I went the opposite direction with tonight’s very special episode. With the exception of the opening track (hey, I absolutely have to play “Valentine” by The Replacements), tonight’s selections are songs of bitter despair. Divorce and other kinds of breakups. Love gone wrong. Love that kills!

In some respects, the majority of tonight’s tracks is a precursor to the Rural Ledge-ucation show that used to air on RPR every Sunday morning. There’s over an hour of Americana and singer/songwriter selections, and that’s simply because those are the artists that know how to sing about heartbreak.

But the last 45 minutes or so are filled with the more typical tunes heard on the show. The Clash, The Buzzcocks, Husker Du, before ending with the admittedly obvious Public Image LTD. tune “This Is Not a Love Song”.

After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy!

I consider the February new release episode of The Ledge to be the first real episode of the year. Sure, the January show had quite a few 2020 releases but it was dominated by 2019 leftovers. This episode, with a few exceptions, are the fruits of the new year.

This show features quite a few of the first major new albums of the year, such as the latest by Beach Slang, The Supersuckers, and Drive-By Truckers. There’s also a great musical twist with the new Black Lips album, and a few single releases by bands such as Twin Peaks.

The real highlight of the broadcast, however, may be this month’s Rum Bar Records set. This is a label that’s on a roll, with a crowded release schedule that’s as strong as ever. There’s also a new home for The Ledge favorites The Forty Nineteens, who now find themselves on a fabulous up and coming power pop label, Big Stir Records. I’m hoping for more great music from that company in the future.

After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy!

A few days ago I came up with the idea of putting together a show of nothing but my favorite songs of all time. A few hours later, however, I ended up with a folder of almost 200 songs. Hmmmm. So here is the introduction of a new series of shows devoted to the great tracks that have made me who I am today.

Of course, a lunatic like myself has to come up with unnecessary rules. So the main rule I’m abiding by in this new Ledge series is that I’m going to ignore most of the obvious bands. Everybody knows I love Chuck Berry, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Clash, David Bowie, and other similar giants. And how would one just pick a single song by acts like these?

So for the most part we’re going with artists that should be bigger. Artists that should be on every so-called “classic rock” playlsit. Of course, The Kinks are one of those kind of bands, but how can I ignore “I’m Not Like Everybody Else”? So it’s a part of tonight’s show dedicated to tracks primarily from the 60’s and 70’s.

I’m excited to exhaust the folder of tunes I have created for these shows. Future episodes will focus on Americana, power pop, 80’s college rock, and there may be an entire episode dedicated to Minneapolis and Sioux Falls bands!

After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy!

It used to be that part of the monthly new release episode included new “archive” albums, but there’s been so much great music put out in recent years that I’ve had to ignore these kinds of records.

But obviously that doesn’t mean I’m not obtaining these sorts of records. So tonight’s show features tracks from reissues and brand new compilations, box sets, and live albums. The tunes range from mid-60’s rockers from Denmark to early 80’s Australian punk rock, with pit stops including some leftover Record Store Day purchases and just some good old free bandcamp compilations.

After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy!

When I saw that Greg Lonesome was planning an episode of his excellent Rock and Roll Manifesto that was going to feature nothing but songs shorter than 90 seconds a little bell rung in my ear. That’s a theme right up my alley so I immediately got to work filling a folder of nothing but short songs.

That inspired is presented here. 75 songs all 90 seconds or less. As you may expect the vast majority of the tracks are high energy punk, garage, and indie rock. Some bands made a living with nothing but tracks such as these. Others just had an ocassional burst of this sort of energy.

After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy!